Mechanism Using a Single Power Source to Provide Two Exercising Functions for a Physical Exerciser

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a single-driving dual-directional operation device for fitness equipment, including a driver assembly, a first motion assembly, and a second motion assembly. The first and second motion assemblies respectively include first and second one-way bearings that are operable in first rotational direction and opposite second rotational direction respectively to allow the first and second motion assemblies to selectively get in driving engagement with the driver assembly to be respectively driven thereby to rotate in the first and second directions. Thus, when the driver assembly is put in operation selectively in the first and second directions, rotation motion is respectively induced in the first and second motion assemblies via the first and second one-way bearings in an interference-free and independent manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to driving of fitness equipment, and in particular to a driving device that uses a single driving source to operate in two different modes or exercise functions in an interference-free and independent manner so that a user's need of different exercise modes can be satisfied

(b) Description of the Prior Art

To cope with the substantial reduction of exercising sites and time that are available for modern people, a variety of exercising device or fitness equipment is available in the market. Unless no driving structure is adopted, most of the currently available fitness devices have effect a single type of exercise or training. Alternatively, the fitness device may achieve different type of training by altering the operation mode thereof For example, a treadmill comprises a chassis having two ends to which front and rear cylinders are respectively mounted and a treading belt extending around the front and rear cylinders. A treading board is mounted in the chassis within the travel range of the treading belt. A driver assembly is provided on the chassis to drive the rotation of the treading belt around the cylinders so that a user may take trading activity on the reading belt.

In such treadmill, two sets of driver assemblies are needed to carry out two types of operations or function in order to avoid undesired interference between the two functions. For example, a treadmill is often provided with a vibration fitness function, which requires an additional vibration driving source that is often mounted at a middle section of the chassis of the treadmill. The vibration driving source is connected to a waist belt surrounding the user's waist to effect vibration fitness.

Purchasing two different fitness devices to perform different exercise functions or combining an additional driving source to an existing device, such as a treadmill, to achieve two different types of training or exercise operations both are costly for general consumers and require more space for the increased total volume of the fitness device(s). Also, increase the number of driving sources also give more potential risks of handling malfunction or broken devices. As a result, the two solutions mentioned above are both inefficient in both economics and market competition.

Thus, the present invention is aimed to provide a single-driving dual-directional operation device for fitness equipment that allows a single fitness device to perform two different modes of operation in an interference-free and independent manner so as to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional fitness equipment discussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a single-driving dual-directional operation device for fitness equipment, which operation device uses a single driving source to generate or perform two different exercise operations so as to add value to the fitness equipment.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a single-diving dual-directional operation device comprising: a chassis; a driver assembly mounted on the chassis and comprising a motor; a first motion assembly comprising a first shaft mounted to the chassis and a first transmission roller mounted to the shaft and in driving coupling with the motor, a first transmission cylinder being rotatably mounted to the first shaft, a first one-way bearing being arranged and coupled between the first transmission roller and the first transmission cylinder, the first one-way bearing being operable in a first direction; and a second motion assembly comprising a second shaft rotatably mounted to the chassis and in driving coupling with the first transmission roller of the first motion assembly, a second one-way bearing being mounted to the second shaft to couple a second transmission roller to the second shaft, the second one-way bearing being operable in a second direction that is opposite to die first direction of the first one-way bearing, the second shaft being in diving coupling with a driving shaft that is rotatably mounted to the chassis via the second one-way bearing. Thus, with the above arrangement, a fitness device in which the present invention is embodied uses operations of the driver assembly in the first and second directions to respectively drive a transmission cylinder of a first exercising portion and a driving shaft of a second exercising portion to selectively effect two different exercising modes in an interference-free and independent manner. Consequently, the effectiveness of exercising can be enhanced, the costs of installation and maintenance are reduced, and economic values are increased.

The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a single-driving dual-directional operation device constructed in accordance with the present invention, illustrating major components of the operation device;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the single-driving dual-directional operation device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the single-driving dual-directional operation device of the present invention, illustrating the operation of a first motion assembly of the single-driving dual-directional operation device;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the single-driving dual-directional operation device of the present invention, illustrating the operation of a second motion assembly of the single-driving dual-directional operation device;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a treadmill incorporating the single-driving dual-directional operation device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the treadmill that incorporates the single-driving dual-directional operation device of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the treadmill that incorporates the single-driving dual-directional operation device of the present invention, illustrating the operation of treading exercise with the treadmill;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the treadmill that incorporates the single-driving dual-directional operation device of the present invention, illustrating the operation of vibration fitness; and

FIG. 9 is an end view of the treadmill that incorporates the single-driving dual-directional operation device in accordance with the present invention, further illustrating the operation of vibration fitness.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

With reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, a single-driving dual-directional operation device constructed in accordance with the present invention is provided for fitness equipment. The operation device comprises a chassis 1 on which a driver assembly 10, a first motion assembly 20, and a second motion assembly 30 are mounted. The chassis 1 can be formed integrally or as a combination of multiple pieces. The first and second motion assemblies 20, 3 are driven by the driver assembly 10 to generate rotation in forward and backward directions respectively.

More details of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be given as follows. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the driver assembly 10 is constituted by a motor 11 having a spindle (not labeled) to which a pulley 12 is mounted. A driving belt 15 is fit around the pulley 12 for causing motion of the first motion assembly 20. Two fixing lugs 13, which are opposite to each other, are provided on and projecting from opposite sides of the chassis 1 for retaining the first motion assembly 20.

The first motion assembly 20 comprises a shaft 21 that is mounted to the fixing lugs 13 of the chassis 1. A transmission roller 26, from which a sleeve 27 axially extends, is rotatably mounted to an end section of the shaft 21 that corresponds to the driving belt 15. The transmission roller 26 is also coaxially provided with a pulley 22 at the side opposite to the sleeve 27 for mating and engaging the driving belt 15. The shaft 21 supports a transmission cylinder 25 in a relatively rotatable manner via a bearing 23 at an end of the cylinder 25. Arranged at an opposite end of the cylinder 25 is a first one-way bearing 28 which is fixed to an inside surface of the cylinder 25. The first one-way bearing 28 is operable to drive rotation of the cylinder 25 in a single given direction, but not in the opposite direction. The first one-way bearing 28 is fit over and mounted the sleeve 27 of the transmission roller 26 so that the motor 11 of the driver assembly 10 is only allowed to drive the transmission cylinder 25 in the single given direction. Further, the transmission roller 26 is fit with a transmission belt 29 that drives the second motion assembly 30.

Also referring to FIG. 4, the second motion assembly 30 comprising a shaft 32 of which opposite ends are rotatably mounted to the chassis 1 by two shaft seats 31 fixed to the chassis 1. The shaft 32 is fit with a pulley 33 mating and engaging the transmission belt 29 so as to drive the rotation of the shaft 32. A second one-way bearing 34, which is operable in an opposite direction against that of the first one-way bearing 28, is fit over and fixed to the shaft 32. A transmission roller 35 is rotatably fit over the second one-way bearing 34 and is driven by the second one-way bearing 34 to rotate only in a given direction. A belt 36 is fit around the transmission roller 35. The second motion assembly 30 comprises a driving shaft 38 that is rotatably mounted to the chassis 1 by shaft seats 37 and is arranged parallel to and spaced from the shaft 32. Mounted to the driving shaft 38 is a pulley 39 around which the belt 36 is fit, whereby rotation motion generated by the motor 11 of the driver assembly 10 is transmitted through the transmission roller 26 of the first motion assembly 20 to causes the driving shaft 38 of the second motion assembly 30 to operate or rotate.

With such an arrangement, when the driver assembly 10 operates in either the forward rotation or backward rotation, the first or second one-way bearing 28, 34 is engaged to drive the transmission roller 25 of the first motion assembly 20 or the driving shaft 38 of the second notion assembly 30 in an interference-free and independent operation manner. Thus, a single-driving dual-directional operation device for fitness equipment can be realized, which involves only one single driving source to generate two different modes of exercising operations.

A practical application of the signal-driving dual-directional operation device in accordance with the present invention in for example a treadmill will be described hereinafter as an example to further explanation of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, wherein a treadmill, generally designated with reference numeral 5, combined with a vibration fitness device, generally designated at 60, is shown, the treadmill 5 comprises a chassis consisting of a front chassis section 50 for mounting controlling and driving means and a rear chassis section 55 for treading by a user, which sections are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the treadmill. The motor 11 and the driver assembly 10 of the single-driving dual-directional operation device are arranged in and mounted to the front chassis section 50. Fixing lugs 51 are mounted to and extend upward from transversely opposite sides of the front chassis section 50 to mount the shaft 21 of the first motion assembly 20. Further, the front chassis section 50 is coupled to a longitudinal front end of the rear chassis section 55 by connections 52 arranged at opposite side edge portions of the front chassis section 50. The rear chassis section 55 is provided with a treading board 58 fixed atop thereto. A follower cylinder 57 is rotatably mounted to a longitudinal rear end section of the rear chassis section 55, which is opposite to the front chassis section 50, by a shaft 56 so that the follower cylinder 57 is opposite to the transmission roller 25 of the first motion assembly 20. A treading belt 59 extends around both the transmission roller 25 and the follower roller 57 and also extends, in the longitudinal direction, parallel to both top and bottom surfaces of the treading board 58.

The vibration fitness device 60 is mounted atop the rear chassis section 55 and comprises eccentric crank shafts 61 extending in opposite directions from opposite ends of the driving shaft 38 of the second motion assembly 30 in an eccentric manner to form a crank assembly. A joint bearing device 62 is rotatably mounted to each eccentric crank shaft 61. The vibration fitness device 60 comprises a board 63 having an under surface of which two transverse opposite edge portions respectively supporting two cross shafts 67, which are further rotatably coupled to distal ends of the joint beatings 62. A retention bar 64, extending longitudinally and substantially perpendicular to the cross shafts 67, is also mounted to the under surface of the board 63. An end shaft is coaxially formed on each end of the retention bar 64 and is rotatably mounted to a shaft seat 66 fixed to the rear chassis section 55 to rotatably mount front and rear edges of the board 63 to rear chassis section 55, so that, with the retention bar 66 serving as a rotation center, the opposite edge portions of the board 63 are subjected to up and down angular displacements caused by the eccentric crank shafts 61 of the driving shaft 38 of the second motion assembly 30 and reciprocally rotated to induce vibration on the board 63, as shown in FIG. 9.

Also referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the operation of the treadmill will be described. When the motor 11 of the driver assembly rotates in the backward direction, the rotation motion of the motor 11 is transmitted through the driving belt 15 to the shaft 21 of the first motion assembly 20 to cause the transmission roller 26 to rotate in the backward direction. The first one-way bearing 28 that is mounted to the sleeve 27 of the transmission roller 26 is in driving engagement with the transmission cylinder 25 to cause the transmission cylinder 25 to rotate in the backward direction, which in turn drives the treading belt 59 to move in the backward direction so that a user may take jogging exercise on the treading belt 59 in a forward direction. On the other hand, the transmission roller 26 also transmits the rotation motion to the shaft 32 of the second motion assembly 30 via the transmission belt 29. However, since the shaft 32 is coupled to the transmission roller 35 by the second one-way bearing 34 that effects driving engagement therebetween in a reversed direction, the rotation motion is not further transmitted from the shaft 32 to the transmission roller 35 and the shaft 32 is thus put in an idle, load-fee rotation condition. Consequently, the shaft 32 does not drive the transmission roller 35 to induce rotation of the driving shaft 38.

On the other hand, when the motor 11 is put into rotation in the forward direction, the motor 11 drives, through the driving belt 15, the pulley 22 mounted to the shaft 21 of the first motion assembly 20 to further cause the transmission roller 26 to rotate in the forward direction. Due to the first one-way bearing 28 between the transmission roller 26 and the transmission cylinder 25, the transmission roller 26 that is driven by the pulley 22 is put in an idle, load-free rotation condition. Consequently, driving of the treading belt 59 is inhibited. The transmission roller 26 is also in driving coupling with the shaft 32 of the second motion assembly 30 via the transmission belt 29. Due to the second one-way bearing 34 that in only put into driving engagement with the transmission roller 35 in this direction, the rotation motion of the shaft 32 is effectively transmitted to the transmission roller 35. The transmission roller 35 in turn drives the driving shaft 38 via the belt 36. The driving shaft 38, that is put into rotation by being driven by the transmission roller 35 via the belt 36, drives the crank shafts 61 on the opposite ends thereof to reciprocally move, in an up and down manner, the joint bearing devices 62, which in turn drives the board 63 via the cross bars 67, as illustrated in FIG. 9, to thereby induce vibration on the opposite edge portions of the board 36. Consequently, the vibration will be transmitted to a user standing on the board 63 and this effect body fitness for the user.

With the above described arrangement, the treadmill that incorporates the single-driving dual-directional operation device in accordance with the present invention provides not only a function of treading exercise, but also a function of vibration that, when transmitted to the user, induces vibration and rubbing of the fat of the user' body and thereby causing heating and burning of the fat to effect fat losing and body fitness. When the muscles get relaxed due to the vibration operation, the user may immediately switches to the treading function to exercise the muscle and as a consequence, the result of exercising and body fitness can both be enhanced.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A single diving dual-directional operation device for fitness equipment comprising: a driver assembly, a first motion assembly, and a second motion assembly, wherein the first and second motion assemblies respectively comprise first and second one-way bearings that are operable in first rotational direction and opposite second rotational direction respectively to allow the first and second motion assemblies to selectively get in driving engagement with the driver assembly to be respectively driven thereby to rotate in the first and second directions, whereby when the driver assembly is put in operation selectively in the first and second directions, rotation motion is respectively induced in the first and second motion assemblies via the first and second one-way bearings in an interference-free and independent manner.
 2. A single-driving dual-directional operation device, comprising: a chassis; a driver assembly mounted on the chassis and comprising a motor; a first motion assembly comprising a first shaft mounted to the chassis and a first transmission roller mounted to the shaft and in driving coupling with the motor, a first transmission cylinder being rotatably mounted to the first shaft a first one-way bearing being arranged and coupled between the first transmission roller and the first transmission cylinder, the first one-way bearing being operable in a first direction; a second motion assembly comprising a second shaft rotatably mounted to the chassis and in driving coupling with the first transmission roller of the first motion assembly, a second one-way bearing being mounted to the second shaft to couple a second transmission roller to the second shaft, the second one-way bearing being operable in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction of the first one-way bearing, the second shaft being in driving coupling with a driving shaft that is rotatably mounted to the chassis via the second one-way bearing; wherein when the driver assembly is put in operation selectively in the first and second directions, rotation motion is respectively induced in the first and second motion assemblies via the operations of the first and second one-way bearings in an interference-free and independent manner.
 3. The single-driving dual-directional operation device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the chassis comprises an integrally formed unitary member or a combination of multiple pieces.
 4. The single-driving dual-directional operation device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the motor of the driver assembly has a spindle to which a pulley is mounted, a driving belt being fit around the pulley for driving a pulley mounted to the first shaft of the first motion assembly.
 5. The single-driving dual-directional operation device as claimed in claim 2 or 4, wherein two fixing lugs are provided on and extending from opposite sides of the chassis, the first shaft of the first motion assembly being coupled to the fixing lugs, a sleeve coaxially extending from the first transmission roller and the first one-way bearing being fit on the sleeve, a pulley being coaxially mounted to the first transmission roller and opposite to the sleeve for mating and engaging a driving belt, the first transmission cylinder being further rotatably supported on the first shaft by a bearing, a transmission belt being fit around the first transmission roller for driving the second motion assembly.
 6. The single-driving dual-directional operation device as claimed in claim 2 or 4, wherein the second shaft of the second motion assembly is rotatably mounted to the chassis by shaft seats that are fixed to the chassis, a pulley being mounted to the second shaft and being driven by the first motion assembly, a belt being fit around the second transmission roller, the driving shaft being rotatably mounted the chassis by shaft seats and a pulley being mounted to the driving shaft, the belt also extending around the pulley of the driving shaft.
 7. A treadmill comprising a treading exercise device, a driver assembly, a fist motion assembly, a second motion assembly, and a vibration fitness device, wherein the first and second motion assemblies respectively comprise first and second one-way bearings that are operable in first rotational direction and opposite second rotational direction respectively to allow the first and second motion assemblies to selectively get in driving engagement with the driver assembly to be respectively driven thereby to rotate in the first and second directions, whereby when the driver assembly is put in operation selectively in the first and second directions, the treading exercise device and the vibration fitness device are selectively and respectively driven by the first and second one-way bearings in an interference-free and independent manner.
 8. A treadmill comprising: a driver assembly mounted on the chassis and comprising a motor; a first motion assembly comprising a first shaft, a first transmission roller mounted to the shaft and in driving coupling with the motor, a first transmission cylinder being rotatably mounted to the first shaft, a first one-way bearing being arranged and coupled between the first transmission roller and the first transmission cylinder, the first one-way bearing being operable in a first direction; a second motion assembly comprising a second shaft in driving coupling with the first transmission roller of the first motion assembly, a second one-way bearing being mounted to the second shaft to couple a second transmission roller to the second shaft, the second one-way bearing being operable in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction of the first one-way bearing, the second shaft being in driving coupling with a driving shaft via the second one-way bearing; a treading exercise device comprising a front chassis section to which the driver assembly and the first motion assembly is mounted and a rear chassis section to which the second motion assembly is mounted, a treading board being fixed to the rear chassis section, a second follower cylinder being rotatably mounted to the rear chassis section and opposite to the first transmission cylinder of the first motion assembly, a treading belt being extending around the cylinders and along top and bottom surfaces of the treading board; a vibration fitness device comprising a board mounted to the rear chassis section, two eccentric crank shafts extending from opposite ends of the driving shaft of the second motion assembly and rotatably coupled to opposite edge portions of the board, opposite front and rear edges being rotatably to the rear chassis section; wherein when the driver assembly is put in operation selectively in the first and second directions, the first transmission cylinder of the first motion assembly and the driving shaft of the second motion assembly are selectively and respectively driven by the operations of the first and second one-way bearings in an interference-free and independent manner to respectively drive the treading belt of the treading exercise device and vibrating the board of the vibration fitness device.
 9. The treadmill as claimed in claim 8, wherein the motor of the driver assembly has a spindle to which a pulley is mounted, a driving belt being fit around the pulley for driving a pulley mounted to the first shaft of the first motion assembly.
 10. The treadmill as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein two fixing lugs are provided on and extending from opposite sides of the front chassis section, the first shaft of the first motion assembly being coupled to the fixing lugs, a sleeve coaxially extending from the first transmission roller and the first one-way bearing being fit on the sleeve, a pulley being coaxially mounted to the first transmission roller and opposite to the sleeve for mating and engaging a driving belt, the first transmission cylinder being further rotatably supported on the first shaft by a bearing, a transmission belt being fit around the first transmission roller for driving the second motion assembly.
 11. The treadmill as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the second shaft of the second motion assembly is rotatably mounted to the rear chassis section by shaft seats, a pulley being mounted to the second shaft and being driven by the first motion assembly, a belt being fit around the second transmission roller, the driving shaft being rotatably mounted the rear chassis section by shaft seats and a pulley being mounted to the driving shaft, the belt also extending around the pulley of the driving shaft.
 12. The treadmill as claimed in claim 8, wherein the front chassis section is coupled to the rear chassis section by connections arranged at opposite side edge portions of the front chassis section.
 13. The treadmill as claimed in claim 8, wherein a joint bearing device is rotatably mounted to each eccentric crank shaft of the vibration fitness device, the board of the vibration fitness device being provided, at under surfaces of the edge portions thereof, with cross shafts to which distal ends of the joint bearing devices are rotatably mounted, a retention bar being mounted to the under surface of the board and substantially perpendicular to the cross bars, an end shaft extending from each end of the retention bar and rotatably mounted to the rear chassis section by a shaft seat. 